Iberostar and its pioneering responsible tourism movement, Wave of Change, are presenting their vision for what responsible tourism is and the path they are taking to get there
Madrid, December 3, 2019. – In its efforts to become an international benchmark in responsible tourism, Iberostar Group announced its partnership with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, reinforcing its pledge to the world through its pioneering, ocean-protecting movement, Wave of Change.
Megan Morikawa, Global Sustainability Director and Fernando García, Chief Resources Officer, will present and share the path that the brand has followed in recent years, current actions and Iberostar’s future vision within responsible tourism. Their talk, titled "COP25 Objectives in Action: Iberostar’s Commitment to the Ocean”, is on Thursday, December 5.
To ensure they are generating a positive impact in the locations where they operate, Iberostar Group has partnered with established and accredited organizations around the world such as the European Strategy for Plastics and the sustainable waste management company Tirme in Mallorca, Spain. These partnerships, in addition to the actions that the hotel chain has implemented in its more than 120 properties around the globe, have already led the Spanish, family-owned business to be recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization sponsored platform, Impulsa Balears, as a role model in the Balearic Islands.
“We’re excited to take our environmental commitment to the next level. We began by removing plastic straws when we first launched Wave of Change in 2017, and now we are moving towards a circular economy in our hotels. We strive to take real actions that give our guests, employees and the communities where we operate an experience that incentivizes them to be part of the solution to save our planet,” said Gloria Fluxà, Vice-Chairman & Chief Sustainability Officer for Iberostar Group. “Being part of COP25 aligns with our commitment to remove all single-use plastics (except where the law requires it) from our operations globally by the end of 2020 and to lead by example in an industry that is constantly growing and contributing to the planet’s carbon footprint.”
This year alone, Iberostar eliminated single use plastics at the rooms of its more than 120 hotels worldwide; stopped generating more than 500 tons of plastics; installed composting plants in three of its hotels in Mexico, Dominican Republic and Spain; opened its new aquaria and lab facility for coral research in Dominican Republic; and converted 15% of its total seafood procurement to suppliers certified by MSC and ASC, among other accomplishments. The initiatives line up with the opinion of 85% of Iberostar guests who said in a survey that they valued the actions and 68% who said they would consider sustainability when choosing a hotel.
Highlighting the company’s efforts to lead the path to responsible tourism, earlier this month Iberostar was bestowed with the Outstanding Contribution To The Travel & Tourism Industry Award and the Gold accolade for Reducing Plastic Waste during World Responsible Tourism Day by the World Travel Market organization and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
For more information, please visit waveofchange.com
###
Note to editor:
-
Please find pictures of Wave of Change on this link
-
The conference will be held on Thursday December 5th at 17:00 in the “Espacio Diálogo” located in the Green Zone, IFEMA exhibition hall, Madrid.
